Most of the swirl marks that occur on your vehicle are likely caused by regular washing and drying. Though weekly washes and towel-drying are the best care you can give your vehicle, improper techniques will cause unsightly swirls and scratches in the paint that will require compounding or polishing at the very least. You can prevent these problems and save yourself a lot of extra work by following a few simple tips when washing and drying your vehicle.
Why wash weekly?
Weekly washing is optimal because some contaminants can do serious damage to the paint if they are not removed quickly. One such contaminant is bug splatter. Their bodies contain organic acids that break down the carcass, but they also eat into the clear coat if not removed promptly. Weak spots in the clear coat make your vehicle susceptible to corrosion.
Another problem contaminant is brake dust. It contains metal shavings from the rotors and an adhesive used in the production of brake pads. This makes brake dust highly corrosive and very sticky. Washing your vehicle weekly will remove these contaminants before they have the opportunity to do permanent damage.
Wash Tools
It’s very important to choose tools that are gentle on the paint, yet effective at removing contamination. As a rule of thumb, sponges and mitts that are plush or have a deep nap are better than flat weave towels or dense sponges. For example, a Natural Sea Sponge has numerous deep compartments where dirt and debris can accumulate. The natural fibers themselves will not scratch the paint and they will essentially pull contamination into the sponge’s openings, away from the paint. Always use the softer side of the sponge for washing. Rinse new sea sponges thoroughly before use to remove any shell fragments or sand.
Another option is a Sheepskin Wash Mitt. Sheepskin is extremely soft and plush. The fibers are gentle on the paint while the nap is deep enough to accommodate loose dirt and sand so they do not rub against the vehicle. Because sheepskin is natural, it does not last as long as a synthetic microfiber mitt. However, for luxurious softness, you can’t beat the texture of sheepskin.
Microfiber mitts are another paint-safe option. Microfiber’s combination of polyester and polyamide make it capable of scrubbing the paint without scratching or swirling. It traps dirt and grit within the fibers rather than leaving them on the surface of your vehicle. Be sure to rinse the mitt frequently to release these particles.
Cotton chenille pads and mitts are also good choices because they clean easily and they last longer than sheepskin or natural sea sponges.
Washing 1. Wash the wheels and tires first. If you splash wheel cleaners or dirt onto your vehicle, you can simply wash it off as you wash. Use a cleaner that is safe for all wheels, like Wolfgang Tire & Wheel Cleaner. It is water-based and has no corrosive chemicals, which is safer for coated wheels and rubber. Agitate with an OXO or New England Wheel Brush to clean wheels without scratching. Wash each wheel and tire one at a time and rinse thoroughly before moving on to the next one.
2. Now you’re ready to wash. It’s important to use a car wash that is rich in lubricants. The purpose of the car wash is to remove contaminants and lubricate them so they do not scratch the paint as they slide off the vehicle. Dish detergents are not ideal because they remove protective coatings. P21S Bodywork Conditioning Shampoo, DP Auto Bath Shampoo and Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo are all great choices. They will not remove wax and they provide ample lubrication of gritty particles.
3. Here’s a trick to prevent swirl marks: use two buckets. Fill one bucket with soapy water and fill the other with clean water. Each time you need to reload your sponge with soapy water, dip it in the clean water first to rinse out some of the contamination you’ve just removed from your vehicle. Then dip it in the soapy water and continue washing.
Another option is the Grit Guard. This plastic grid sits in the bottom of a 5-gallon wash bucket and stabilizes the water. Contamination settles to the bottom of the bucket and the clean wash water remains at the top.
4. Always rinse your vehicle thoroughly before you begin washing in order to remove loose debris. Then begin washing at the top of the vehicle. Wash down the vehicle as opposed to front to back. Remember that the lower panels are dirtiest. You want to clean the windows and the upper panels before cleaning the lower half of the vehicle so that you don’t transfer grit to the top half of the vehicle. Rinse and reload your sponge often to prevent cross-contamination. Rinse your vehicle frequently as you work, especially in hot weather.
For stubborn spots, like bugs or tar, use the Pinnacle Safe Scrub Bug & Tar Sponge to gently remove sticky contaminants without scratching. To soften the sponge, soak it in warm water for 3 minutes. Always use it with soapy water to lubricate the sponge. If you choose to use a spot cleaner, spray it on before washing and reapply wax to the treated area after you’ve dried the vehicle.
5. When rinsing, you don’t have to blast your car clean with the water hose. Free-flowing water (no nozzle) will allow the water to sheet off of your vehicle for a more thorough rinsing.
Drying
Never skip drying! Drying your vehicle after washing is necessary to prevent water spots. Water spots are caused by mineral deposits that etch the outline of a drop of water into your vehicle’s paint. All water has minerals, whether it’s from the hose or the sky. As the water evaporates, the minerals remain on the surface and they will eventually, inevitably create water spots.
You can dry your vehicle in a variety of ways, but you want to make sure you do it quickly. The fastest way to remove excess water is with a California Water Blade or California Dry Blade. These are paint-safe squeegees that pull 80% of the water off the surface of your vehicle. They are made of soft, medical-grade silicone so they will not scratch your paint or glass. Use the blade on the windows first, since water spots are most noticeable there.
Even if you use a Water Blade, you still need to use a towel to remove the rest of the water. The Cobra Waffle-Weave Towel is a large microfiber towel that is manufactured with a waffle-weave texture. This weave increases the surface area so the towel can absorb more water. It can absorb 7 times its own weight in moisture, and it’s completely nonabrasive. Microfiber towels come in a number of sizes and they can be altered for a specific purpose. For example, the Cobra Waffle-Weave Glass Towel will clean and dry glass without streaks. Microfiber is more absorbent than terry cloth or cham
< Message edited by Autogeek -- 11/24/2007 6:46:10 PM >
Posts: 3897
Joined: 3/31/2005 From: Indianapolis, IN Status: offline
This pretty much covers it - but if you are as anal as me about a clean car and into showing it, you forgot one important step. Washing the under carriage! I do mine first, before anything else. This is usually done by just spraying up under the car and wheel wells with a full spray nozzle. This gets rid of any sand and other road grime before washing the wheels & tires. If its overly muddy under there, then and old wash mit with car wash soap will be necessary (obviously not the same mit you wash the rest of the car with ). I've actully jacked mine up before to get under there real good.
If you're parking at a show with mirrors on the ground to see up under your baby - then a thin coating of tire foam does a real nice job of shining the under side (gas tank, shocks, springs, oil pan, etc...).
Exactly!! I do the exact same thing. I'm just as anal, trust me. I didn't fully read the artice but I'm just going to add that tire shine/foam does really good at shining up your engine compartment and wheel wells. Just a cheap tip my pops taught me
-Bryan
quote:
ORIGINAL: sowaxeman
This pretty much covers it - but if you are as anal as me about a clean car and into showing it, you forgot one important step. Washing the under carriage! I do mine first, before anything else. This is usually done by just spraying up under the car and wheel wells with a full spray nozzle. This gets rid of any sand and other road grime before washing the wheels & tires. If its overly muddy under there, then and old wash mit with car wash soap will be necessary (obviously not the same mit you wash the rest of the car with ). I've actully jacked mine up before to get under there real good.
If you're parking at a show with mirrors on the ground to see up under your baby - then a thin coating of tire foam does a real nice job of shining the under side (gas tank, shocks, springs, oil pan, etc...).
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..Modded 1996 Ford Mustang GT.. SOLD!! ..Modded 2001 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra.. SOLD!!
Now..
..Modded 2003 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra, Anniversary Edition..
Great Post. I drove myself crazy drying my Stang. It took forever to dry all the grill work and nooks. Finally figured that a couple minutes with a leaf blower cleared up the problem and stopped those little "water runs" on the front and rear bumpers. I now have a cheap Mustang Blower dedicated for this purpose.
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2006 Black GT Premium IUP, Shaker 500, black leather ..... 100% Stock just as Ford built it, w/warranty. Other Cars: Son: 1996 Black Vert V6 Daughter: 02 Silver Coupe V6 Wife: 96 Grand Cherokee Limited (Yeah, we let her ride in our Stangs)
+1 on the Leaf blower... Figured that all the car washes used forced air to try, why the heck not! Just try not to scratch the paint with the blower :)
Posts: 3897
Joined: 3/31/2005 From: Indianapolis, IN Status: offline
I've posted this before, but figure I'd chime in again. Be carefull with the leaf blower trick - make sure your shoot is on REAL tight. You might even add a screw of your own to lock in on. I was blowing off my daily driver one time and the shoot SHOT off and straight across the hood
Also, you might consider an air compressor over the leaf blower. Air compressors blow clean, compressed air whereas leaf blower blow air that they suck in from the inlet!! So if you use the leaf blower, make sure you are not stirring up in any dust around you while you "blow"
< Message edited by sowaxeman -- 5/15/2006 10:00:43 AM >
I'm a meguiars man all the way. If it's on their product list, I probably have it. Always get good results and their help desk is very responsive to questions. The NXT Gen product work very well (smell pretty good too).
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2006 Black GT Premium IUP, Shaker 500, black leather ..... 100% Stock just as Ford built it, w/warranty. Other Cars: Son: 1996 Black Vert V6 Daughter: 02 Silver Coupe V6 Wife: 96 Grand Cherokee Limited (Yeah, we let her ride in our Stangs)
Not much mentioned about waxing. Having just ordered my new 07 GT conv., I need a refresher course on proper waxing / polishing to keep this baby shining.
My old method used to be just to simply wash, dry, let sit for 30 minutes, then wax in a shaded area. What is the preferred time / place to wax? What wax do you prefer?
I'm getting the 18" polished aluminum bullitts. What's the trick to keeping those bad-boys shining in tip-top condition?
Lastly, what's the deal with the 05-07 antenna? Is it powered? If so, when does it go up / down? My wife just bought me the 8" chrome antenna that remains up. Haven't seen this on any pics (i.e., the perma-mast 8" antenna).
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Proper Washing and Drying - 
). I've actully jacked mine up before to get under there real good. 
